Travel: A Gift that Spans Generations

(ARA) - Have you ever returned from a trip anxious to share your stories and pictures with family members, only to be disappointed as you’re going through them? It’s a common occurrence; photos don’t always capture the true essence of your experience.

So what’s the best way to truly share your travel excursions with family? Take them with you! In fact, intergenerational travel (grandparents taking their children and grandchildren on trips) has increased in recent years. More than 30 percent of grandmas have taken at least one trip with a grandchild, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. And those numbers are expected to climb, with a large increase coming from international travel.

Joan Wyer and Sherry Lund, both from Minnesota, are two such grandparents. They’ve taken family members to domestic and international destinations alike and say it’s a wonderful, fun and enlightening way to build relationships.

“I could travel alone or with friends,” says Wyer. “But I’d much rather share these memories with my family.” Wyer has taken her family of 18 (four children, their spouses and nine grandchildren) on three excursions in the last several years including Alaska, the Sea of Cortez (Mexico) and the Galapagos Islands.

“There is no better way to build deep relationships than by traveling together,” says Wyer. “There are definitely bonding moments as you experience unique places and people away from the day-to-day routine of home.”

Lund couldn’t agree more. “Traveling with my grandchildren has given us a gift – a special bond of memories that only we share, no one else.” Lund has started a family tradition with her grandchildren. When they reach 10 years of age, she takes them on a unique trip that helps broaden their world view. To date, she’s shared the Galapagos Islands with her granddaughter Laurie and Peru with granddaughter Libby.

Both Wyer and Lund sought guidance from Travel Beyond, a 30-year-old international travel consultancy in Wayzata, Minn., to design their trips. The consultancy has invested more than 25,000 hours personally visiting and pre-screening destinations around the world. This first-hand knowledge was a big comfort to Wyer and Lund.

“Many of today’s baby boomers want an experience that doesn’t involve a tour bus and hoards of people,” says Craig Beal, chief executive officer of Travel Beyond. “They want to get out and explore new destinations in a way that’s unique to them. That’s why we agonize over the details and customize every aspect of their travel.”

According to Beal, several international destinations have emerged as excellent options for intergenerational travel.

Three to 10 Day Tours – Experience the Uniqueness of Canada
* Observe the polar bears in Churchill
* Ride through the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer
* Visit the 400-year-old city of Old Quebec

Five to 15 Day Tours – Enjoy the Diversity of South America
* Explore the ancient Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, Peru
* Visit the Galapagos Islands, known for its impact on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection
* Star gaze through a private observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile
* Experience ‘March of the Penguins’ in real life in Antarctica

10 to 20 Day Tours – Discover the Wild Side of Africa
* Interact with one of Africa's oldest tribes (Himba) and see the largest collection of ship wrecks in the world in Namibia
* Seek out the “Big Five” (lions, leopards, elephants, cape buffalo, rhinos) on a safari through Botswana
* View the impressive Victoria Falls in Zambia, one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World

“Many of the trips I’ve taken through Travel Beyond are experiences of a lifetime,” continues Lund. “I’m fortunate to give those experiences to my grandchildren as a special gift. Walking among the iguanas, seeing birds and animals that are unique to that location and exposing them to parts of the world they’ve never heard of before. Those are cherished gifts any grandparent would love to give.”

To learn more about intergenerational travel or general travel to the destinations mentioned above or many other locations, contact Travel Beyond at (800) 876-3131 or visit www.travelbeyond.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Millionth Guest To Explore Western Canada By Train

NAPSI-A train journey through some of North America's most scenic landscapes could truly be one in a million for a lucky traveler this spring.

Sometime this year, a traveler will be recognized and awarded as the one millionth individual to experience the world-renowned Rocky Mountaineer train through Western Canada and the Canadian Rockies.

The Rocky Mountains of Canada are filled with inspiring scenery, wildlife, a multitude of recreational activities and offer plenty of unique opportunities generally known only by the people who live in the area. Rocky Mountaineer Vacations, one of Canada's leading tourism providers, gives vacationers the unique opportunity to view such stunning sights as glacier-fed lakes, majestic mountain ranges and ferocious rivers.

Recently honored with the World Travel Award as the "World's Leading Travel Experience by Train"--the travel industry's equivalent to the Oscars--for the third consecutive year, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations will soon welcome its one millionth guest. That's a further indication of the company's success in bringing the wide-open spaces of Western Canada a little closer to home.

Through the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, there is so much to see--and great distances to cover--that the most effective way to take it all in is to travel by train. This is true whether or not you're looking to experience a quick getaway to the Canadian Rockies or you'd rather take your time and get to know the areas that make Western Canada spectacular, through such extended trips as:

• Western Explorer (7 nights/8 days): Travel by train from Vancouver to the Rockies and Calgary. All of the must-see attractions of the Canadian Rockies are included.

• Grand Rail Circle (10 nights/11 days): The complete train travel experience, featuring three different rail routes, together with the highlights of the Canadian Rockies and two-night getaway in the resort town of Whistler, B.C.

• Classic Rail Vacation (3 nights/4 days): A spectacular two-day, all daylight journey onboard the Rocky Mountaineer with an additional night's accommodation in the coastal city of Vancouver and your choice of Jasper, Banff or Calgary, Alberta.

Whether it's a vacation with loved ones or a unique way to spend a spring break, exploring Canada's West by train is an experience that's sure to inspire plenty of memories, postcards and photographs--along with an appreciation of some of the world's most spectacular scenery.

To learn more, visit the Web site at www.rockymountaineer.com or call (866) 754-8842.